Delivery mechanism for beet-harvesters and the like.



M. GOOD'FELLOW.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR BEET HARVESTERS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED P3124. 1906.

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PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906.

No. 833,456. PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906'.

M. GOODFELLOW.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR BEET HARVESTERS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION 11.31) 33.24. 1906.

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-No. 833,456. a PATENTED OGT.16, 1906.

.M. GOODFELLOW. I DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR BEBT HARVESTERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.24, 1906.

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PATEN TED OCT. 16, 1906.

M. GOODFELLOW. DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR BEET HARVESTERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-24. 1906.

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PATENTED OCT.- 16, 1906.

M. GOODFELLOW. 4 DELIVERY MECHANISM EoE BEET HARVESTBRS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1906.

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No. 833,456. PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906' M. GOODFELLOW.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR BEET HARVESTERS AND THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED 1112.24, 1906.

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" 110-833, 156. PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906. GOODFBLLOW.

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR BBBT HARVESTERS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1906.

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ATTORNEY.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca., WASHINDTON, a. c I

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOORE GOODFELLOW, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF i TO JOSEPH O. DYE, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO. I a I DELIVERY MECHANISM. FOR BEET-HARVESTERS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

' Application filed February 24, 1906. Serial No. 302,777-

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MOORE GOODFELLOW, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Delivery Mechanism for Beet-Harvesters and the Like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to delivery mechanism for beet-harvesters and the like, being 1 designed, primarily, for use in connection with a beet-harvester such as is disclosed in another application filed by me of even date herewith, although the said delivery mechanismis applicable to other beet-harvesters and also to harvesters and diggers of other kinds.

In machinery of this class where the beets or other vegetables are pulled or otherwise raised out of the ground it is sometimes desirable to deposit the Vegetables upon the surface of the ground in a manner and location such as to facilitate their subsequent gathering into a wagon or other vehicle. In accomplishing this result it is desirable where the vegetables are grown in rows that the contents of two or more rows should be deposited or gathered together in a single row to facilitate the subsequent gathering thereof. It is also desirable where the ma chines employed are large and heavy and not adapted to make short turns that arrangements should be made whereby after the machine has traversed the field in one direction and finished harvesting one row the machine in making its return trip across the field may skip one or two rows adjacent to 'the row just finished, thereby avoiding thenecessity of a short turn. When this is done, it is desirable that the delivery mechanism should not only operate to deliver the vegetables on either side of the machine, but also desirable that it should be capable of varying the distance from the machine at which. the vegetables are deposited on the ground, so as to permit the contents of several rows to be deposited in a single row for subsequent gathering.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a'delivery mechanism which shall meet these several conditions and which shall be capable of delivering the beets or other vegetables on either side of the machine at different distances therefrom.

- particularly point out in the claims.

Further objects of the invention are to pro-' vide a delivery mechanism of this character which shall be simple in construction, compact, so as. to add but little to the size of the machine, which will work at a relatively low elevation, so as to prevent injury to the vegetables by dropping them from a height to the ground, which can be readily controlled by the driver from his seat,v so that it may be 7 stopped and started, driven in either direction, and readily adjusted to 'vary its discharge distance from the machine.

To these and other ends my present inven-' tion consists in certain novel'features, which I will now proceed to describe and will then In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the rear portion of the machine, showing so much thereof as relates moreparticularly to the delivery mechanism. Fig. 4 is a plan View, partly broken away, of what is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of what is snown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the movable frame of the delivery-conveyer detached, only a portion of the length'thereof being shown. 7 is a similar view of the'remainder of said movable frame. Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional View of said frame. Fig. 9 is a detail plan view showing one section ofthe conveyer proper detached. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the same, Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view illustrating in side elevation the mechanism for shifting and locking the movable frame. Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of what is shown in Fig. 11 Fig. 13 is a detail plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the gearing by which the conveyer is driven; and Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional View showing in side i elevation what is shown in Fig. 13. In the said drawings I have shown my invention as applied to a beet-harvester, such as is set forth. in an application filed by me of even date herewith, the same comprising a main frame 1, composed of side members 2 which support bearings 3 for a rotating axle 4, driven by ground-wheels, 5. This main frame supports pulling devices 6 and elevat IO 5 discharged at the rear endof the mainoframe.

At said rear end of the main frame is located the delivery mechanism which I have devised and which I will now proceed to describe.

The main frame is provided at its rear end with two parallel transverse members 8 and 9, to which are secured three rearwardly-extending brackets, one indicated by the numeral 10, located at the middle of the main frame, and the other two indicated by the reference-numerals 11 and 12, located at the sides of said main frame. The delivery mechanism comprises a frame 13, arranged transversely of the machine at the rear thereof and supported on the brackets 10, 1 1, and 12 in such a way that it may be shifted in the direction of its length and transversely of the machine, so as to extend beyond the same on either side to any desired extent within its range of adjustment. The construction of this movable frame which I prefer to employ is that shown more particularly in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. In this construction the frame comprises two inwardly-directed angle-bars 14 and 15 at the top thereof and two outwardly directed angle-bars 16 and 17 at the bottom thereof, said angle-bars being connected by uprights 18 and said uprights being connected by diagonal braces 19. Suitable cross-braces 20 (shown more particularly in Fig. 8) connect the front and rear sides of the frame thus formed. Some of the uprights 18 are extended above the upper angle-bars, as shown at 21, said upward extensions being preferably outwardly inclined and being connected by guard-rails 22, so as to form guards on each side of the frame to hold the beets or other vegetables on the conveyer.

The movable frame 13 is supported on the brackets 10, 11, and 12, so as to slide lengthwise thereon, and the construction which I prefer for this purpose is that shown, in which the brackets 11 and 12 are provided with supporting-rollers on which the frame travels. As shown, each of these brackets terminates at its rear end in an upright arm 23, which carries a flanged supporting-roller 24, on which the horizontal portion of the angle-bar 16 travels. The arm 23 also supports a second roller 25, located above the horizontal flange of the angle-bar 16 and serving to prevent displacement of the frame in an upward direction. Each of the supporting-brackets is further provided on the other or front side of the movable frame 13 with an upwardly-extending arm 26, which carries a roller 27. This roller 27 lies between the horizontal flange of the anglebar 17 on its underside and the similar horizontal flange of a second angle-bar 28, arranged above the said roller on the front of the frame 13. By reason of this construction vertical displacement of this side of the frame is prevented. The arrangement whereby the movable frame is provided with supporting-roller contacts both above and below is desirable by reason of the fact that when said frame is shifted outward, so that its projecting end overbalances the portion thereof remaining on the other side of the supporting-rollers nearest the projecting end, the excess weight of the projecting end tends to move the inner end upward, so that the portion of the frame which is guided and supported by the rollers may either press upward or downward against the same, according to the position of the parts.

The movable frame 13, which carries the delivery-conveyer, hereinafter described, is provided with means whereby it can be positively shifted in the direction of its length toward either side of the machine. This shifting mechanism comprises a suitable rack or its equivalent upon the frame and a pinion or toothed wheel engaging therewith and operated by the driver to shift the frame. In practice I prefer to employ for this purpose the construction shown, in which the rack is formed by means of a sprocket-chain 29, stretched between hooks or other suitable fastening devices 30, secured to the ends of the frame 13 at the front thereof. This sprocket-chain passes over a pinion, sprocketwheel, or toothed wheel 31, carried by a shaft 32, supported in a suitable bearing in a bracket 33, secured to the rear cross-piece 8 of the main frame. The shaft 32 is connected by a universal joint 34 to a forwardlyextending shaft 35, which latter extends forward to a point adjacent to the drivers seat and is there provided with an operatingcrank 36. By this means it will be seen that the movable frame may be readily shifted in a horizontal plane transversely of the machine, so as to project from either side thereof to a greater or less extent, such shifting being readily accomplished by the operator from his seat. The movable frame 13 is also provided with means controlled by the driver for locking it in different positions to which it may be adjusted. To that end the frame is provided on its front side with lookingplates 37, supported on the uprights 18 and having their front faces formed in forwardlyconverging inclines 38, having between them a notch 39 to receive the locking-bolt. This locking-bolt (indicated by the reference-numeral 40) is mounted in a suitable housing 41 in the upper end of the bracket 33, which housing also incloses a spring 42, which acts to force the bolt rearward into engagement with the locking-plates.

43 indicates a chain or other suitable flexible connection connected to the forward end of the locking-bolt 40 at one end, while its other end is connected to an arm 44, carried by a rock-shaft 45, controlled by a foot-lever 46 in front of the drivers seat. By means of this foot-lever the locking-bolt can be withdrawn from engagement with the lockingplates by the foot of the operator, leaving his hand free to rotate the shaft 35 for the purpose of adjusting the movable frame to its desired position. The inclines 38 will push back the looking-bolt 40 in case it is not held back by the footlever, and the release of said foot-lever will permit the locking-bolt to engage with any desired one of the lockingplates. These locking-plates are preferably arranged at a distance apart equal to the dis tance between the rows of vegetables, so that the discharge of the vegetables may be made into one of the empty furrows already formed by the operation of the pulling mechanism.

The movable frame, as already stated, suports the delivery-conveyer, which moves horizontally in the direction of the length of said frame. To this end the frame 13 is provided at each end with a transverse shaft 47, each of said shafts having mounted thereon near its ends two sprocket-wheels 48. The delivery-conveyer is composed of two sprocketchains 49, which ass around the wl1eels48 and travel along t e inwardly-directed horizontal flanges of the angle-bars 14 and 15 of the frame 13, which latter support them. The conveyer comprises these sprocketchains 49, which are composed of links 50 and cross-pieces 51 in the form of fiat strips of metal riveted at their ends to lugs 52 on the inner sides of the links 50. I The -con veyer thus constituted is sufliciently flexible for its purpose, while at the same time firmly supporting the vegetables, and sufficiently open to permit any-dirt which may become detached from them to fall through onto the ground. The conveyer thus constructed is preferably driven by the mechanism which I ave shown for that purpose. It comprises a shaft 53, mounted in suitable bearings on the central bracket 10 and on the cross-piecesS and 9 of the main frame. This shaft carries a pair of sprocket-wheels 54, over which the sprocket-chains 49 pass, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. In order to hold the sprocket-chains in engagement with the sprocket-wheels 54, I employ on each side of each sprocketwheel an idler 55, under which the sprocket-chains 49 pass, as also indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, thus insuring the proper engagement of said sprocketchains with said sprocket-wheels whatever the position of the movable frame 13 may be. The shaft 53 is driven in either direction from the main aXle of the machine, and to this end there is mounted on said shaft 53, so as to rotate therewith and move longitudinally thereon, a clutch member or sleeve 56. This clutch member or sleeve is shifted longitudinally of the shaft 53 by means of a lever 57, provided at one end with a yoke 58, which engages a groove 59 in the central portion of the clutch member 56. The lever 57 is pivoted at 60 upon a frame-piece 61, connecting the transverse members 8 and 9, and

has connected to its other end an operatingrod 62, which extends forward and is connected to a hand-lever 63 adjacent to the provided with clutch members to cooperate with those of the member 56,'so that when the said clutch member is in engagement with either one ofsaid bevel-pinions the shaft 53 will be rotated in the direction of rotation of said pinion. 'When the clutch member 56 is in the central position, the shaft 53 is stationary, as the clutch member is out of engagement with both pinions- The pinions are driven in opposite directions by means of a bevel-gear 66, mounted on a shaft 67, sup ported in bearings on frame members 68, connecting the cross-pieces S and 9. This shaft 67 has mounted thereon a sprocket-wheel 69, which is driven from a sprocket-wheel 70 on the main axle 4 by means of a sprocketchain 71 passing around both of the sprocketwheels 69. and 70. Incidentally in the par- 'ticular construction illustrated the sprocketchain 71 also passes around a sprocket-wheel 72, by means of which a portion of the elevating mechanism is driven.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the delivery-conveyer may be caused to move in such a direction as to deposit the vegetables discharged thereon by the elevator on either side of the machine at will and that the point of deposit maybe regulated by the mechanism provided for sliding the movable frame of the deliveryconveyer in one direction or the other. Thus the delivery mechanism meets the conditions set forth in the opening paragraph of the specification, enablingthe ma- 0111116 to harvestin both directions, to skip rows to avoid a short turn, and to pile the vegetablesfrom a plurality of rows in a single row to facilitate their subsequent gathermg.

I do not wish to beunderstood as limiting myself to the precise details of construction hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, as it is obvious that these details may be varied without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, comprising a delivery-conveyer arranged transversely with respect to the machine and movable relatively thereto to vary the point of discharge on either side, means extending forward to the operators seat for controlling such movement thereof, and means for actuating said conveyer in either direction, substantially as described.

2. A delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, comprising a delivery-conveyer arranged transversely with respect to the machine and movable in the direction of its len th transversely of the machine to vary t 1e point of discharge, means extending forward to the operators seat for controlling such movement thereof, and means for actuating said conveyer in either direction, substantially as described.

3. A delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, comprisin a delivery-conveyer arranged transversely with respect to the machine and movable in the direction of its length transversely of the ma chine to vary the point of discharge, means for positively so moving said conveyer, and

means for actuating said conveyer in either.

direction, substantially as described.

4. A delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, comprisin a delivery-conveyer arranged transverse y with respect to the machine and movable in the direction of its length transversely of the machine to vary the point of discharge, means for positively so moving said conveyer, means for locking it in position after it is so moved, and means for actuating said conveyer in either direction, substantially as described.

5. A delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, comprising, in combination with a main harvester-frame provided with guiding and supporting means, of a delivery-conveyer comprising a frame arranged transversely with respect to the harvester-frame and movable relatively thereto in the direction of its length to vary the point of discharge, an endless flexible conveyer proper mounted on said movable frame longi 7 tudinally thereof, means carried by the main frame for driving said conveyer in either direction, and means supported near the operators seat and connected to said driving means for controlling the direction of the movement thereof, substantially as described.

6. A delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, comprising, in combination with a main harvester-frame provided with guiding and supporting means, of a delivery-conveyer comprising a frame arranged transversely with respect to the harvester-frame and movable relatively thereto in the direction of its length to vary the point of discharge, means for positively so moving the same, an endless flexible conveyer proper mounted on said movable frame longitudinally thereof, and means carried by the main frame for driving said conveyer in either direction, and for locking said conveyer-frame in adjusted position, substantially as described.

7. In a delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, the combination, with a main harvester-frame having rearwardly-extending brackets provided with guiding and supporting rollers, of a deliveryconveyer comprising a frame supported transversely with respect to the machine on said guiding and supporting rollers and movable thereon in the direction of its length to vary the point of discharge, said movable frame being provided with sprocket-wheels at its ends, a flexible conveyer passing around said sprocket-wheels, a shaft carried by one of the brackets and having sprocket-wheels to engage said flexible conveyer, and means for driving said last-mentioned shaft in either direction, substantially as described.

8. In a delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, the combination, with a main harvester-frame, of a deliveryconveyer comprising a frame arranged transversely with respect to the harvester-frame and movable in the direction of its length, shafts mounted'at the ends of said movable frame and provided with sprocket-wheels near their ends, a flexible conveyer comprising sprocket-chains passing around said sprocket-wheels and transverse cormecting members, a shaft supported from the main frame and extending under said conveyer, sprocket-wheels in said shaft over which the sprocket-chains pass, and idlers located above said sprocket-chains on opposite sides of said sprocket-wheels, substantially as described.

9. In a delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, the combination, with a main frame having a rotating'axle, and a transverse shaft driven therefrom and provided with a bevel-gear, of a deliveryconveyer arranged transversely with respect to the machine and comprising a flexible conveyer proper having sprocket-chains, a longitudinal shaft carried by the harvester-frame and provided with sprocket-wheels to mesh with said sprocket-chains, said shaft having bevel-pinions loosely mounted thereon and meshing with opposite sides of the bevelgear, a clutch member sliding on and rotat ing with said shaft between said bevel-pinions, a lever engaging said clutch member to shift the same, a controlling hand-lever, and a rod connecting said two levers, substantially as described.

10. In a delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, the combination, with a main harvester-frame, of a deliveryconveyer comprising a frame arranged transversely with respect to the harvester-frame and movable in the direction of'its length, a

conveyer carried by said movable frame, a rack on said frame, a pinion on the main frame meshing with said rack, and a shaft connected with said pinion and extending forward to convenient reach of the operator, its forward end being provided with an operating-crank, substantially as described.

11. In a delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, the combination, with a main harvester-frame, of a deliveryconveyer comprising a frame arranged transversely with respect to the harvester-frame and movable in the direction of its length, a conveyer carried by said movable frame, a rack on said frame, a pinion on the main frame meshing with said rack, and a shaft connected with said pinion and extending forward toconvenient reach of the operator, its forward end being provided with an operating-crank, said rack consisting of a spro cketchain' stretched between the ends of the movable frame and said pinion consisting of a sprocket-wheel meshing therewith, substantially as described.

12. In a delivery mechanism for harvesters of the character described, the combination, with the main frame of the harvester, of a delivery-conveyer comprising a frame arranged transversely with respect to the machine and movable in the direction of its length, locking-plates arranged at predetermined intervals on said frame, a spring-actuated lockingbolt adapted to engage said locking-plates, a foot-lever arranged within convenient reach of the operator, and a flexible connection between saidfoot-lever and locking-bolt, substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MOORE GOODFELLOW.

Witnesses:

E; O. HAGAN, HARRIET L. HAMMAKER. 

